Horse groom

Question
Help! I have a Paint horse who has a little more white (grey) than i would like. The only reason i don't like that much white is...It's hard to clean! For shows she has to be spotless, but i can't get the yellowish stains out of her coat. Do you have any tips or recommended products that i could use. Help!
~Kristen

Answer
Ah yes, one of the first horses I rode regularly was a pure white horse (black skin.) So I know what you have to deal with... on a LARGE scale.

The first thing to realize is that horses are not really "all white." They tend to be a mix of white, blonde, and grey. The grey isn't bad - unless they've rolled in fresh cut grass or the manure pile just after you washed them. (Yes, I've had this happen just before a show!)

Also on this score, every thing you use - every brush, sponge, and wash towel - needs to be clean and free from any dirt or bit of soil.

Next, realize that you will have to wash twice, and the rinse water needs to be 100% clear. Iron or "rusty" water will make the horse appear yellow an hour or so after washing - whereas when they were wet, they looked great.

Also, what you want is a shampoo with "bluing." This will reduce the "yellowing" that blonde hairs will cause. There are a couple of horse formulated shampoos that are good for this. I have also found that the white "Joy" hand dish detergent are also very good for washing horses (NOTE: NOT clear - not anything for machine dish washers!)

I also walk the horse until they are COMPLETELY dry.

At that point, I will spray a light mist of Show Sheen (or similar product) over the horse to avoid any dust or dirt becoming attached to the hair. In some extreme cases I have included a tiny (little, small, miniscule) bit of blue food coloring to a pint of show sheen and a pint of water, and used that rather than straight show sheen.

Also, make sure to pick the stall they stay in, repeatedly, and often before any show and while at the show. For my white horse, I had to do this 6 or 7 times a day.

Oh, one last hint... if there is a "spot"... try covering it up with a little white baby powder or corn starch. What the judge doesn't see... he won't mark down for. ;)